The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced on February 26 $36.9 million in notices of funding opportunities for grant programs supporting behavioral health services across the U.S. These grant programs support the Biden-Harris Administration’s priorities to address the overdose and mental health crises, key pillars of the Biden-Harris Unity Agenda.
“We are committed to providing communities with the resources they need to address mental health and substance use needs. We know that supporting the development and delivery of community-based behavioral health services promotes positive outcomes and advances health equity across the country,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.
“SAMHSA grant programs like these help communities implement comprehensive, evidence-based strategies that prevent and address substance misuse and promote mental health across the country,” said Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the leader of SAMHSA.
The behavioral health funding opportunities are:
- $8.1 million for Prevention Technology Transfer Centers, which provide training and technical assistance services to the prevention workforce and other partners in communities to improve delivery and implementation of substance use prevention strategies and interventions for people of all ages.
- $10 million for Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). This program implements the SBIRT public health model for children, adolescents, and/or adults in primary care and community health settings – such as health centers, hospital systems, health maintenance organizations, preferred-provider organizations health plans, Federally Qualified Health Centers, behavioral health centers, pediatric health care providers and children’s hospitals – and schools with a focus on screening for underage drinking, opioid use, and other substance use.
- $5 million for Community Programs for Outreach and Intervention with Youth and Young Adults at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis. This program provides trauma-informed interventions to youth and young adults, up to 25 years of age, who are at clinical high risk for psychosis.
- $6.2 million for First Responders – Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. This program provides resources to support first responders and others with training, administering, and distributing naloxone and other Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved opioid overdose reversal medications or devices with a focus on populations disproportionately impacted by overdose.
- $5.4 million for Provider’s Clinical Support System – Universities. This program helps to expand and ensure that students in health professions programs receive substance use disorder (SUD) education early in their academic careers and upon graduation have basic knowledge of strategies to identify and treat addiction, support recovery, and address related stigma. This program also supports the integration of SUD content into the curricula of the respective academic institution.
- $1.1 million for the Statewide Consumer Network Program. This program enhances the capacity of statewide mental health consumer-run organizations to promote mental health and related service systems to be consumer-centered and targeted toward recovery and resiliency, and consumer-driven by promoting the use of consumers as agents of transformation.
- $1.1 million for the Statewide Family Network Program. This program provides resources to enhance the capacity of statewide mental health family-controlled organizations to engage with family members/primary caregivers who are raising children, youth, and young adults with serious emotional disturbance.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. To learn how to get support for mental health, drug or alcohol issues, visit FindSupport.gov. If you are ready to locate a treatment facility or provider, you can go directly to FindTreatment.gov or call 800-662-HELP (4357).
This article was originally published on February 26th, 2024, and can be found here.
